Talk:Maladaptation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

	This article is part of WikiProject Genetics, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to genetics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit this page, or visit the project page to join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.
???	This article has not yet received a rating on the quality scale.
???	This article has not yet received an importance rating.

	This article is part of WikiProject Evolutionary biology, an attempt at building a useful set of articles on evolutionary biology and its associated subfields such as population genetics, quantitative genetics, molecular evolution, phylogenetics, evolutionary developmental biology. It is distinct from the WikiProject Tree of Life in that it attempts to cover patterns, process and theory rather than systematics and taxonomy. If you would like to participate, there are some suggestions on this page (see also Wikipedia:Contributing FAQ for more information) or visit WikiProject Evolutionary biology.
Stub	rated as stub-Class on the assessment scale
Mid	rated as mid-importance on the assessment scale

[edit] Mal-acclimation

Isn't the third example one of mal-acclimation, as opposed to maladaption? Remove or mention mal-acclimation... (which I don't think is a proper term anyway)

Yeah, I don't know... the examp,es are not very good. The concept itself has suufered from knee-jerk treatment throughout its history, I have revised the antibiotics example which was previously equalling maladaptation = lack of adaptation which obviously is BS. Dysmorodrepanis 21:37, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Diabetes and Obesity

A primary example of maladaptation would be the thousands of years humans have spent living under famine. Our tongues have grown to enjoy high sugar and high fat foods as a means to encourage our bodies to consume high calorie foods and to store energy as adipose tissue "for later" when there is no food around to supplement our diets. However, in many societies today, because of our stable economies and decent agricultural foundations, famine is rarely seen. BUT - we still have the inclination to consume these (what are deemed as unhealty) foods. Thus diseases such as type two diabetes and obesity are poppping up all over the world in industrialized/stablized countries. AND on top of that a good portion of the american population does not have a job that requires much physical exertion... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Sallisandra (talk • contribs) 22:15, 10 January 2007 (UTC).

I think you should try to dig up a review on this from some scientific journal to source it, and add that. It beats the examples hitherto provided hands down. Dysmorodrepanis 21:37, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

There is a discussion of this in Biology (Campbell & Reece) in the chapter on Animal Nutrition if you want a reference. Richard001 10:44, 17 August 2007 (UTC)